These are letters we received about stories in the May – June 2004 issue of L.A. Youth.

Letters to the editor (September 2004)

These are letters we received about stories in the May – June 2004 issue of L.A. Youth.

Same-sex marriage debate

Every time I read L.A. Youth with my class there is always an article I can open up on. This time I read "There’s nothing wrong with two people in love" by Andrea Domanick. It’s great to hear someone else’s thoughts on the issue of gay marriage, because there is clearly nothing wrong with two people in love.

I didn’t grow up in West Hollywood, but I did grow up with a couple of gay family friends. As a young child I didn’t really understand that they were gay. But once I found out they were, it didn’t really matter. They were the same people before and after, so why should they be bad people because they’re gay? I really don’t understand people who think that gay people shouldn’t be allowed to love.

I believe gay marriage should be legalized, and I’m proud of my beliefs. I may be a 14-year-old straight girl, but someone who is homosexual should be able to live as happy a life as anyone else in the world.—Katie Woff, Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies (S.O.C.E.S.)

Giving blood but afraid of needles

I think the girl in "Blood, sweat and tears (not really)" is very brave. For years I have been scared to death of needles. When a doctor tells me I need a shot, I freak out. I have kicked several doctors at the sight of a needle. Reading this story made me realize that my fear was irrational. Needles are small things, not giant monsters. Maybe one day I’ll be like Stephanie and give blood. But even if I never give blood, next time I have to get my blood taken, I will certainly remember her courage, and not freak out.—Elyse Perlmutter-Gumbiner, S.O.C.E.S.

Responding to your article "Blood, sweat and tears (not really)," I believe the writer is sacrificing too much for the well-being of others. Before she worries about anyone else she should take concern for her own health first. My friend is also afraid of needles. So I am able to understand the writer’s great fear of them. Submitting herself to donating blood is great, but she shouldn’t feel that she was the only person who could help others. She should try to overcome her fear at her own pace, instead of forcing herself to donate blood in fear.—Jennifer Rodriguez, S.O.C.E.S.

Breaking free from my out-of-control past

This article meant a lot to me. It made me realize that if someone is doing something wrong, they might not know that it is wrong. I can relate to the writer in a different way than most people. I’m the sibling of a "troubled youth." I went through this same kind of thing, except all I saw was that my brother was doing something wrong. I never realized that he might not know how bad he was behaving. The sentence "Actions do mean something and people who make the wrong decisions hurt a lot of people who care about them" is a great example of my feelings. All I thought was how bad it hurt me, but I just realized that he didn’t know it hurt me. Even though my brother made a lot of mistakes, I now realize he was doing it in place of the pain he felt.—Name withheldIn the band Mata Moska

I think the article "Behind our music" was great. The band Mata Moska sounds like a great band with all its musical mixes. Having horns, like Mata Moska, is strange for a punk band. Most people think punk bands are about hardcore guitars, fast and loud drummers and juiced-up bass. Well, Mata Moska has that and more to make it a lot more interesting. This is the coolest article I’ve read in L.A. Youth.—Victor Magaña, S.O.C.E.S. Should high school students have the right to vote?

I disagree with this article. When it comes to the idea of getting teenage opinions heard, I usually agree with it, but not in this instance. I don’t think that we can handle that kind of responsibility. A lot of us can’t even do a simple task like finishing our homework. So what about a decision that affects the whole nation resting in the hands of teenagers whose minds are being altered by sugar?

Also you cannot always trust teenagers to be mature. It is just part of our nature. We don’t know enough about the concepts of politics. We are experts in the field of cartoons. So the next time people suggest allowing teenagers to vote, have these things in mind.—Allison Angeles, S.O.C.E.S.